Breaking
by L. M. Ritwock
Summary: Everything was wrong. What was supposed to be a normal day became a complete hell surrounding one person. All came crashing down and things would not fix themselves. Nothing would go back to normal. Based loosely off of Little Red Riding Hood.


Normal. It always started out like any other day. A day with hustle and bustle while the sun shined bright as gold. Then some sort of pure hell would erupt and left everyone in a frenzy of panic, resolve with a ceremonious bang, and everything would become normal again. But today's hell was something completely different. It did not start like every other day, it started out wrong while the sun shrugged behind grim clouds, and no one was panicking. It didn't even deal with everybody. Only one person was doomed to suffer the misery alone. And things would not resolve themselves in the end; nothing would go back to normal.

It was so sudden. Like a spring of a jack-in-the-box. Her mother had been crying with her, but with a snap of the fingers, her mother perked. She happily hopped up with a smile on her face. The seventeen year old Crimella had no chance to react. Mother with daughter in tow, they pulled toward the kitchen, as if they were dear friends going to the park.  
Her mother tugged, "Come on, Crimella! Let's get some tea. We have to celebrate with the finest. Ooh and send some to grandma, yes?"  
Crimella stopped walking and pulled her brow together, "Tea? At a time like this, it can surely wait! You shouldn't cover your sorrows with artificial happiness!"  
"Ahh, but dear daughter, who said I am faking to be happy?!" Her mother piped.  
Crimella shook her head, "Father just walked out the door and you suggest it is time for tea! Surely you feel some pain!"

Her mother laughed, almost evilly, "The time for tears is over, Crimella! I cried with you, but that is now part of the past! This is our advantage. The news will spread like wildfire in dry hay! Soon, everyone will be pouring sympathy all over the doorstep. We'll get so much, we won't know what to do with it all! Everyone will feel sorry for us, we'll become tied with the whole town!" She laughed again, throwing her head back, grinning.

And with that, Crimella stayed quiet and packed tea. Her mother sounded hysterical, sick. That was something she didn't want to mingle with. Her mother tied little ribbons around the small sacks of tea as Crimella handed them over. She wondered if her mother was still sane and thought the little ribbons were her last bits of sanity. Sanity that was being shipped away to grandmother to never come back.

Placing the tea in a basket, her mother called Crimella over, "Be a dear and take this to granny, 'kay?"  
She nodded at her and looked at the basket with downcast eyes. Walking over to the wall, she took her hooded cape off the hook and tied it 'round her shoulders.  
Crimella turned to her mother and held her arm out stiffly for the tea basket. Her mother pulled Crimella into a tight hug, crushing her daughter.  
"Oh, Crimella! You're so cute!" She cooed and petted her head, "Mousy hair, peachy skin, nice figure. Your father would never be able to understand you. It's a good thing he's gone!"

"You won't miss him?" Crimella asked just trying to escape the sudden hug.  
"Of course not! That man was deranged or something. And that," she cupped Crimella's face in her hands, talking sternly, "is your only flaw. You have his blue eyes, his crazed blue eyes. Mind if I extract them, sweetie? I'll put my brown ones in to make you all pretty! The village boys would want you so badly."

Crimella stiffly shook her head. A horrid image of what her mother said swarmed in her mind. Her eyes put out just to look pretty. The idea did not appeal to her.

"Then off you go! Bye, dear and do take care of yourself!" And on that note, Crimella was ushered out the door to be left in the rain. She pulled her hood up and headed into the forest, clutching the choker she wore instinctively. The thoughts were the only things accompanying her and the thoughts were of her father.

_Why'd you go?_ It pained her to think about it. He promised to protect her. But he was gone now. Crimella followed the path into the dense wood. The ground was completely covered with leaves, but she knew the way. With each crunch of crackling leaves, she thought of her father, of betrayal, of dishonesty. The path twisted and continued into the sad forest. It seemed very gloomy today because of the pelting rain. _Suiting atmosphere_, Crimella thought as she went along.

Her mind was clogged. Everything made her want to cry. _No, I must be happy. Grandmother would be heartbroken if she saw me with tears! _Crimella stopped walking. There was someone else with her on the path. She instinctively gripped her choker tighter.  
He was in the middle of the path with his arms behind his head, sleeping. Messy dark hair tied with twine, lead all the way down to his lower back, following along a dark blue coat. Underneath was his bare chest, he wore black slacks covering up untied combat boots. He was a mess. Crimella stared at him curiously.  
The slumbering man slowly sat up and stretched, scratching his head, blinking, before he asked Crimella, "Can I help you?"

Crimella made an audile squeak and replied, "Err, no. Uh, um, excuse me! I have to be on my way now!"  
She stepped over his legs and walked hastily away, flustered with a bright pink face. Rubbing his eyes, the man stood, dusted his pants off, and went off after her. He followed behind at her same pace, but slowly gained on due to his long stride. Crimella glanced back, saw she was being followed, and quickened her speed. He did the same. Seeing this, she hurried forward, only to be mimicked by him. And they kept at this until they were running. Crimella ran, trying to get rid of him, but he still made with her pace.

_What does he want?_ Crimella wondered, desperately sprinting forward. Trees and leaves whooshed pass, rain pattered on her and gave her a hard time seeing. She gasped as her foot caught a root and fell, putting out her arms to soften the impact. Crimella hit the ground as the strange man stopped right next to her.

He offered his hand and Crimella hesitantly took it. "Ladies of your status shouldn't run around in the woods. Let alone in a skirt, " he said accusingly.

Crimella blushed and stepped on his foot as she lifted herself, "I wouldn't have been running around if a certain person hadn't been stalking me." He cringed from the sudden pressure on his foot and something odd appeared on his head. She squinted and asked, "What are those fuzzy pointy things on your head?"

"What are you talking - oh!" He laughed, its sound seemed to make the trees shudder. He pointed to the things on his head, "These are my ears. Ever see things like them? I'm sure you have."

"I've seen dog ears and human ears, but never dog ears on a human," she replied and began walking again. He followed.

"Who said I was human? Besides, what is a pretty like you doing in these abandoned woods?" He questioned, an air of authority about him.

"Sorry, I guess I need to get out more. Humans are the only beings I know of, exactly why I'm in these woods. To meet polite freaks like you," she retorted with a smile. Crimella did not want to admit it, but she found this stranger oddly entertaining. He did take her mind off things. "The real reason is none of your concern."

"Well, fine. Just as I have no need to tell you what I am. Anyway, girls should not walk alone in these woods. Who knows what lurk within the trees? And I wanted to make sure you were protected! You don't seem like the fighting type."

Crimella mentally slapped herself. She should have been keen on not changing the subject. Now she wouldn't find out what non-human being this stranger was. She shrugged it off and said sharply, "Well, I've had walks through these woods as many times as I've looked at the back of my hand! The only problem I ever encountered was you."

"But a lady needs her escort and since I saw no one with you, I volunteered to do it myself," he gestured around the lonely forest.

Crimella just snorted, "I don't need an escort that sleeps in the forest and isn't even human. They also shouldn't be trying to flatter the ones they are escorting."

"Then just think of me as a friend leading you to your grandmother's house just for company," he smiled, showing off very pointy teeth. They stopped walking.

"How do you know I'm going to visit my grandmother's house?" Crimella asked shocked, starting to clutch at her choker again. Her hand quickly dropped as he pointed at the little house not too far away. There was a small white fence surrounding it. The house was lined with bright flowers and the whole place emitted a welcoming glow. On the door was a crooked sign that read Grandma's House with a smile next to it.  
"Oh," Crimella laughed dryly and glared at the little sign when he wasn't looking. "Then I suppose we part here. Thank you for your unwanted company." She did a mock curtsey.

He nodded his head and sat down by a nearby tree, "Yep. Until later." He closed his eyes.  
"What are you doing," she asked with slight alarm.  
"Waiting to walk you home," he replied. Crimella let out an exasperated sigh, "I can't get rid of you can I? Oh, fine. Until later, Mister...?"

"Lucan, just Lucan. And good day to you, Miss Red Hood!" He answered happily.  
"My name is Crimella, not Miss Red Hood!" She fumed.  
"Ah, so I have learned the lovely lady's name. Until later then, Crimella!" He smirked.

Crimella's cheeks flashed red as she turned and walked off to her grandmother's house.  
Crimella made her way over to her grandmother's house._ Who does he think he is?!_ her thoughts snapped. _How rude!_ It didn't really matter, though. Denial would do no good, and she had taken a light liking to him, in an odd, competitive way. Her steps made hollow thuds as she walked through the little fence. The air seemed denser and her nerves started prickling. Her hand gripped the choker again, so tightly, turning knuckles white. But nothing looked wrong. The rain pattered, the wind blew, yet the closer she walked the more the feel for fleeing was so compelling. Back home or even walking with Lucan sounded better.

_This is absurd!_ A voice argued in her head. Shaking herself, Crimella walked up to the house, twisted the knob, and went inside. She found her nerves should be trusted more often. Blood. It was splattered everywhere, smearing the walls, the floor, everywhere, but blood wasn't what Crimella saw. It was something completely worse. Limbs hung from the ceiling. Two legs tied together right next to two wiry arms, the fingers and toes were cut off. A torso hung in the middle of the room, blood dripped from the dangling organs that fell from it. On the bed, the sanguine bed, was her grandmother's head still frozen in an expression of shock. It was like a cannibal butcher shop. Crimella made a small strangled whimper as the door behind her closed with a soft click!

Holding her breath, Crimella turned around. A dark silhouette stood there, they walked into the light to reveal a man. He looked to be in his thirties, his arms were thin, but they had muscle. An axe leaned against the wall behind him, red edged and wet.

He was also grinning, "Hello there."

He lurched forward and tackled Crimella to the ground, her basket falling and hit the floor. He laughed, "Let me have my fun and I'll let you live a moment longer!"

She squirmed, thrashing out, spitting curses at him. _No! I can't let him get me_. Kneeing his stomach made him flinch and Crimella took the opening and scratched his face, pulling a long piece of flesh with it.

"Fine, just die!" His hands wrapped around her throat and tightened. Crimella choked, her vision blurred and everything made her dizzy. A small gasp of air escaped her lips, "Lucan."

A loud crash rang as the door blew off their hinges. Lucan grabbed the man by the collar and tossed him out the door. "It won't be long, Crimella," he said, nails elongated, and dashed out the door, tackling the man with a clash. Apparently, the man got a hold of his axe before he got outside. Crimella held her face in her hands, whispering to herself, clutching her choker, "Gran-"

It was a roar of clatter. "Like to pick on people, you bastard?" Lucan yelled as he gave a blow to the man's stomach.

"Ha, no! Just the girlies," he said it with a dirty smirk. Lucan gritted his teeth and swung at his head, but he ducked.  
"C'mon, mister big bad wolf! It'll be two birds with one stone! Ha! Killing the werewolf of the forest and getting a taste of that little pretty! Today's a good day for the woodcutter!"

"SHUT UP!" Lucan kicked him against a tree. He stabbed his stomach with his nails and the woodcutter slammed his axe against Lucan's arm, making him curse, "Damn!"

"Gran-gran..."

The wood cutter advanced on Lucan and tackled him, but he didn't like that. Lucan kneed him in the groin and pushed him to the ground.

"Go to hell!"

"With pleasure! I'll take you for company!" The wood cutter was fast, he lifted his axe thrusted it into Lucan's side. He got knocked over, right in front of the door, in view of Crimella. He cursed and tried to get up. The wood cutter slammed his foot on top of Lucan's back and raised his axe, "Off with your head!"

"GRANDMOTHER!!!" Crimella shrieked, making the forest seem to shrink away as she pulled her choker off. Lucan and the wood cutter looked at her. She was trembling, eyes dilated, and had something in her hand. It was her choker, the ribbon trailed around the small hilt of a dagger imbued with a family crest. Her chest was rising as if she was laughing.

"What? Come to save your boy-" The wood cutter couldn't finish. Before anyone could realize what happened, Crimella had tossed her choker in the air and blown him off Lucan before catching it with her other hand. She had punched him hard in the gut. He landed with a crack, breaking his arm with the axe in it. He grumbled as he tried moving. She jumped over Lucan, coming over the wood cutter's face. Staring for a moment, she slammed her heel against his face, shattering his nose and some teeth.

"Suffer, you murderer, and drink your own blood!" She shoved his head back with one hand and shammed the dagger into his neck with the other. He gagged as his own blood filled his mouth. Flecks of blood sputtered out of his mouth, trying to spit in Crimella's face, only succeeding to gurgle. She watched him struggle, trying to breathe and slowly stop wiggling. His breath sounded like a straw at the end of a drink. She smiled as he became still and laughed.

Lucan stood slowly, slightly wincing from the cuts he had. "Crimella are you okay?" Instead of an answer, she took the dagger and tried stabbing him. He quickly caught her hand, making the dagger hit the ground, softly clinking.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" He hissed.  
Tears were flowing down her face, "Everything's wrong! I just – I'm trying to fix everything."  
Lucan frowned and shook her, "Your grandmother's dead and you killed someone. Things won't fix themselves by killing me. Just calm down." She took a deep breath, shuddering.

Crimella smiled, "See? This is why you don't escort girls you don't know through the woods. Who knows what lies within the lady, hmm?" Knees buckling, she fell to the ground. He gasped and kneeled beside her. Lucan scooped her up in his arms, "Should I carry you home?"

"No, just take me away," she sighed with tears in her eyes. Crimella couldn't pretend. There were only pieces now, pieces of what used to be as the world crashed around her. And she'd take those pieces to make a new picture. "I've had enough insanity."

And they went into the woods, swallowed into the trees.


End file.
